CHAPTER V.

FROM 1880 TO 1894.

EARLY in the year 1880 the company experienced quite a boom in membership, the roll reaching to considerable proportions, prizes having been offered to the two members who would do the most recruiting within a given time. The company had in view the new uniforms to be presented by a committee of citizens, and it was the general desire that the roll be increased. The “City Guard” duly received its proportion of these uniforms, which were the regulation as previously worn.

First Sergeant Paul E. Scott was, on April 5th, elected second lieutenant,viceH. A. Plate resigned. On July 26th, following, Selleck was made captain,viceDickinson promoted Colonel First Infantry, and J. C. B. Hebbard, first lieutenant,viceSelleck promoted.

That part of the Second Brigade located in San Francisco was on duty at the county jail, and in their armories, during the troubles of April, 1880, when Chas. de Young was shot by young Kalloch. The companies were hastily summoned, but again dismissed in a few days, when the excitement had subsided.

Camp Barnes, regimental, in which this company participated, was held at Sacramento from the 18th to the 26th of September, 1880. While returning to San Francisco, the train bearing the regiment, ran into an open switch on the Oakland Mole. Engineer Wm. C. Browne, by his presence of mind and heroic action in sticking to his post of duty, saved the members of the regiment from a fearful death, he being the only one who lost his life. The engine went through the wharf into the bay, and, when afterwards found, Browne was still standing upright, with his hand on the throttle, dead.Proper action was taken by the board of officers, in an elaborate set of resolutions, and substantial aid was given to his mother and sister, who were dependent upon him for support.

The next camp, Camp Upton, was held at Santa Cruz from the 2d to the 10th of July, 1881.

On June 1, 1881, the “City Guard” took possession of its new quarters on the N. W. corner of Howard and New Montgomery streets, this being the second time that the company had had its armory upon that corner. This was also regimental headquarters; remained there until early in 1888.

Samuel J. Taylor was elected first lieutenant,viceHebbard resigned, on June 27, 1881, and, on the 15th of September following, August F. Plate was made second lieutenant,viceScott resigned. March 2, 1882, found Taylor captain,viceSelleck retired; Plate, first lieutenant,viceTaylor promoted, and J. C. Conrad, second lieutenant,vicePlate promoted.

The regimental camps of the two following years, 1882 and 1883, were held at San Jose, from July 1st to the 9th of each year. In both cases a return trip was made to San Francisco for the Fourth of July parade, the regiment reaching San Jose again in time for the parade there in the evening. The camp of 1882 was named Camp Sheehan, and that of 1883 Camp San Jose.

Second Lieutenant Conrad resigned on July 11, 1883. Francis J. Kremple was elected first lieutenant,vicePlate resigned, to rank from December 12, 1883, the second lieutenancy being left vacant.

In 1884 the regimental camp was held at Santa Rosa from the 6th to the 14th of September.

The first division camp held by the State troops was at Santa Cruz, from August 15th to the 23d, 1885, the camp being named after the Commander in Chief, Governor Stoneman. Company “B” was comfortably situated in its quarters with the regiment, and cheerfully performed all duties required. The First Regiment, through its own commissary, furnished the meals to its members; other regiments, however, were not so fortunate, they depending upon a caterer for their subsistence. This caterer furnished any thing but what was satisfactory to the men, the principal “kick” being against so much “tripe,” which was served out too frequently for their tastes. After the sham battle of Saturday the hillupon which it took place was christened “Tripe Hill,” and is known as such to this day.

Frank J. Warren succeeded Kremple as first lieutenant on May 28, 1885, the latter having resigned; the second lieutenancy being left vacant. Ex-First Sergeant George R. Burdick was elected to the captaincy of the company on October 22, 1885,viceTaylor promoted major of the regiment. There was no second lieutenant.

Major Taylor, upon leaving the “City Guard,” presented the company with what is known as the “Taylor Badge.” The inscription on the back of this handsome gift is as follows: First prize, Thanksgiving Day Shoot. Taylor. November 26, 1885.

The so-called Sutter street riots, including both the Sutter and Geary cable roads, received the attention of the forces of the Second Brigade, although they were not sent out against the rioters, the police being ample for that purpose. Heavy guards were kept at the armories, however, for nearly two months. Dynamite and coercion were used by small parties of the strikers and individuals, but as a body they made no riotous demonstrations. The armory guards were posted on December 13, 1886, and were continued until February, 1887. Many of the members who then belonged to the “City Guard” will perhaps remember the pay received, and will undoubtedly remember the “one dollar and sixty cents” chalked all over the city’s walls and fences, with the accompanying witticisms of would be wags. The pay of the enlisted man was as follows: Allowance for meals, seventy-five cents; for quarters, forty cents; for pay proper, forty-five cents; a grand total of one dollar and sixty cents for a day of twenty-four hours. Officers received nothing whatsoever.

“Soldier, will you work”?

Irving B. Cook was elected first lieutenant, to rank from May 19, 1887,viceWarren appointed signal officer, regimental staff.

The first brigade camp held for quite a number of years was at Healdsburg for eight days, from the 2d to the 10th of July, 1887. Camp Bartlett was named after the governor, and commander in chief. Company “B” made its accustomed showing at this school of instruction, occupying the street allotted to it by the regimental commander.

This camp was styled the “Jonah camp” by the boys, as three deaths occurred, two by drowning, and one, Sergeant Major William Mitchell, appointed from this company, died from the effects of exposure.

The “City Guard” moved into its present quarters, at 1327 Market street, on April 4, 1888. The company expended a great deal of money in fitting its rooms up appropriately. “B,” with companies “A,” “D,” “F,” and “H,” leased this armory, which had been built expressly for them, for a period of ten years, each having two rooms for the use of its members.

San Jose, for the third time, received the regimental camp, for the year 1888, on July 21st, for eight days.

The company received new uniforms during the year 1888. These were the United States regulation as previously worn. The state furnished this lot of uniforms, and the general fit of them was some thing terrible to look upon, being the fault of the contractors. Ten new Springfield rifles, model of 1883, came to the headquarters of company “B,” these rifles being an improvement over those of 1873, in that the safety notch was added, with the Burlington rear and front sights. At different times subsequent to 1888 two more issues were made of ten and nine respectively.

At a social reunion of the “City Guard,” on Monday evening, October 22, 1888, L. D. Stone, Esq., an honorary member of the company, presented the organization with a magnificent bearskin screen.

Camp Orton, named after the Adjutant General of this State, was a regimental camp held at Santa Rosa, from the 20th to the 28th of July, 1889. The next two were Second Brigade affairs, both being held at Santa Cruz—that of 1890, Camp Waterman, from the 16th to the 24th of August, and that of 1891, Camp Markham, from the 4th, after parade, to the 12th of July. In all three of these camps the “City Guard” participated.

On October 28, 1889, F. A. Baldwin was elected 2nd Lieutenant,viceself, resigned October 5, 1888, the vacancy not having been filled in the mean time.

By an amendment to the codes governing the National Guard of California the Legislature authorized the issuance of service medals for ten years and upward, the material being of bronze with a bronze bar for ten years, silver bar for fifteen, and a gold bar for twenty years’ service.

On January 10, 1891, First Lieutenant Irving B. Cook was elected captain,viceBurdick promoted major. Upon the same date, First Sergeant Charles J. Wesson was raised to the dignity of first lieutenant,viceCook promoted. On June 22d, same year, Edward C. Lundquist took Baldwin’s position as second lieutenant, he having resigned, and, on April 25, 1892, Lundquist was promoted to first lieutenant,viceWesson resigned, George Filmer taking the second lieutenancy upon the same evening,viceLundquist promoted.

The second division camp, Camp Columbus, was held at Santa Cruz, from the 5th to the 13th of August, 1892, Major General W. H. Dimond commanding.

Perhaps the most enjoyable and most satisfactory camp participated in by the members of “B” was “Camp City Guard,” a company affair held for five days at Stockton in 1893, from July 1st to the morning of the 6th. The river steamerMary Garrattwas chartered for the transportation of the men both ways. Companies “A” and “B” of the Sixth Infantry, located at Stockton, headed by their band, escorted the “City Guard,” upon their arrival, to Goodwater Grove, where the advance guard had already pitched the tents. Regular routine duty was immediately inaugurated. Fifty-nine officers and men participated in Camp “City Guard,” and all regretted the time for leaving, the reception accorded them by the boys and citizens of Stockton having been most pleasing indeed. The expense of this camp was paid out of the company treasury, and amounted to a little less than $4 per man, including transportation, entertaining, and every thing.

Early in the year 1894 new fatigue uniforms were issued to the guard. The Legislature, in 1893, practically did away with the regulation full dress, giving to regimental organizations the privilege of adopting a distinct uniform, to be purchased at their own expense. (None have thus far availed themselves of said privilege.)

ARMORY OF THE FIRST REGIMENT INFANTRY, N. G. C., COR. TENTH AND MARKET STS., SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

One of the crowning glories of the “City Guard,” “B” Company, First Infantry, N. G. C., was when the company received the elegant Silver Loving Cup, a trophy presented by Major General W. H. Dimond to the regiment for competition by the seven companies, and cadets composing same, while at Camp Dimond, Santa Cruz, covering the eight days from June 16th to the 24th, 1894. The judges for thiscompetition were First Lieutenant George W. McIver, Seventh Infantry, U. S. A.; First Lieutenant E. C. Holly, Fourth Infantry, U. S. A.; and Captain T. J. Cunningham, Second Artillery, N. G. C.

This trial for supremacy was to continue for the entire week at camp, the conditions being the best general discipline, deportment, promptness in performing all military duties, knowledge of said duties, general appearance of the men, both in camp and in town, best general condition of tents and company streets, soldierly bearing of the men, general efficiency in drill for the entire week, and the manner of conducting same, and any other military details that the judges may notice. All to end with a competitive drill at the end of the week.

On the Sunday that the regiment returned from camp General Dickinson presented the cup to the company, the judges having unanimously decided that the City Guard had fairly won it.

The writer has given in chapter 6 of this history a narrative of the company in musket and rifle practice, together with the improvements made in arms and shooting conditions, since its organization in 1854. It will be noted that “B” company is not only well up in drill, but the members know how to shoot also, as the following chapter will amply demonstrate.

It is certainly unfortunate that lack of both time and space will not allow of detailed descriptions of the “City Guard’s” many social and pleasurable events of the past forty years; it would indeed fill volumes to enumerate them all. For the same reasons the long list of members cannot be given at this writing. Notwithstanding these conditions, every one who has ever been actively connected with the old “City Guard” will assuredly recall the different events that transpired during his time as though it were but yesterday. Think of the many parties, musicales, rackets, two-day outings you have enjoyed; banquets, smokers, and many, many other celebrations of the past, and recall the many happy days spent with comrades in the ranks of your old love, the “City Guard.”

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